Gazza007, if your focus is MAN you are missing the crucial point. The UK establishment, civil service and a few hundred years of history are all London focussed. Geographically the Home Counties are just another region but in the mind set of those that run the country they are thefocus point of the country and will always come first,the rest of the country has to fight for what is left.
BDLBOS, your reply speaks volumes I refer the readership to your rather silly second paragraph and the third which is in total denial of the historical fact.
Try reading the history of the route applications between 1945 and 1992 backed by the airportbut fought by and successfull defeated by BEA, BOAC and BA. Read how successful routes by SABENA and Aer Lingus, were stopped by the UK government at the behest of the state airlines.
In control of its own destiny? If you are going to make a point, base it on fact, not fantasy.